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Scott Richard Parker is charged with four counts of making a threat of terrorism for threats communicated via Twitter on Wednesday involving four Howell-area schools. He is being held on a $750,000 bond.

His next court date is Dec. 23. Parker faces up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted as charged.

Parker's mother said after the arraignment that the Prosecutor's office should be ashamed of the charges against her son.

Police said Parker has some diminished mental capacity and that he “never had the means or capacity” to carry out the threat.

However, Prosecutor William Vailliencourt said under Michigan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, “it is not a defense to these charges that the defendant did not have the actual intent or ability to carry out these threats.”

Basar said the tweet was in response to another post, but neither he nor school officials indicated the nature of the initial posting.

Tom Gould, Howell Public Schools public relations director, said once the tweet became known, officials immediately took a screenshot and made contact with the Howell Police Department.

Gould declined to release a copy of the screenshot, citing the ongoing investigation.

Parker is a former Howell High School student, but he did not graduate from the district. He transferred to Plymouth-Canton High School "at some point in his high school career," Gould said.

Gould was unable to discuss if Parker had a disciplinary record when attending Howell.